Introduction
CompTIA® CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) Practice Tests: Exam CS0-003, Third Edition is a companion volume to the CompTIA CySA+ Study Guide, Third Edition (Sybex, 2023, Chapple/Seidl). If you're looking to test your knowledge before you take the CySA+ exam, this book will help you by providing a combination of 1,000 questions that cover the CySA+ domains and easy-to-understand explanations of both right and wrong answers.
If you're just starting to prepare for the CySA+ exam, we highly recommend that you use the Cybersecurity Analyst+ (CySA+) Study Guide, Third Edition to help you learn about each of the domains covered by the CySA+ exam. Once you're ready to test your knowledge, use this book to help find places where you may need to study more or to practice for the exam itself.
Since this is a companion to the CySA+ Study Guide, this book is designed to be similar to taking the CySA+ exam. It contains multipart scenarios as well as standard multiple-choice questions similar to those you may encounter in the certification exam itself. The book is broken up into six chapters: four domain-centric chapters with questions about each domain, and two chapters that contain 85-question practice tests to simulate taking the CySA+ exam itself.
CompTIA
CompTIA is a nonprofit trade organization that offers certification in a variety of IT areas, ranging from the skills that a PC support technician needs, which are covered in the A+ exam, to advanced certifications such as the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification.
CompTIA recommends that practitioners follow a cybersecurity career path, as shown here:
The Cybersecurity Analyst+ exam is a more advanced exam, intended for professionals with hands-on experience and who possess the knowledge covered by the prior exams.
CompTIA certifications are ISO and ANSI accredited, and they are used throughout multiple industries as a measure of technical skill and knowledge. In addition, CompTIA certifications, including the CySA+, the Security+, and the CASP+ certifications, have been approved by the U.S. government as Information Assurance baseline certifications and are included in the State Department's Skills Incentive Program.
The Cybersecurity Analyst+ Exam
The Cybersecurity Analyst+ exam, which CompTIA refers to as CySA+, is designed to be a vendor-neutral certification for cybersecurity, threat, and vulnerability analysts. The CySA+ certification is designed for security analysts and engineers as well as security operations center (SOC) staff, vulnerability analysts, and threat intelligence analysts. It focuses on security analytics and practical use of security tools in real-world scenarios. It covers four major domains: Security Operations, Vulnerability Management, Incident Response and Management, and Reporting and Communications. These four areas include a range of topics, from reconnaissance to incident response and forensics, while focusing heavily on scenario-based learning.
The CySA+ exam fits between the entry-level Security+ exam and the CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification, providing a mid-career certification for those who are seeking the next step in their certification and career path.
The CySA+ exam is conducted in a format that CompTIA calls performance-based assessment. This means that the exam uses hands-on simulations using actual security tools and scenarios to perform tasks that match those found in the daily work of a security practitioner. Exam questions may include multiple types of questions such as multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank, multiple-response, drag-and-drop, and image-based problems.
CompTIA recommends that test takers have four years of information security–related experience before taking this exam. The exam costs $392 in the United States, with roughly equivalent prices in other locations around the globe. More details about the CySA+ exam and how to take it can be found at https://certification.comptia.org/certifications/cybersecurity-analyst.
Study and Exam Preparation Tips
A test preparation book like this cannot teach you every possible security software package, scenario, or specific technology that may appear on the exam. Instead, you should focus on whether you are familiar with the type or category of technology, tool, process, or scenario as you read the book. If you identify a gap, you may want to find additional tools to help you learn more about those topics.
CompTIA recommends the use of NetWars-style simulations, penetration testing and defensive cybersecurity simulations, and incident response training to prepare for the CySA+.
Additional resources for hands-on exercises include the following:
- Hacking-Lab provides capture-the-flag (CTF) exercises in a variety of fields at
https://hacking-lab.com. - PentesterLab provides a subscription-based access to penetration testing exercises at
https://pentesterlab.com/exercises/.
Since the exam uses scenario-based learning, expect the questions to involve analysis and thought, rather than relying on simple memorization. As you might expect, it is impossible to replicate that experience in a book, so the questions here are intended to help you be confident that you know the topic well enough to think through hands-on exercises.
Taking the Exam
Once you are fully prepared to take the exam, you can visit the CompTIA website to purchase your exam voucher:
Currently, CompTIA offers two options for taking the exam: an in-person exam at a testing center and an at-home exam that you take on your own computer.
In-Person Exams
CompTIA partners with Pearson VUE's testing centers, so your next step will be to locate a testing center near you. In the United States, you can do this based on your address or your ZIP code, while non-U.S. test takers may find it easier to enter their city and country. You can search for a test center near you at the Pearson VUE website, where you will need to navigate to “Find a test center.”
https://home.pearsonvue.com/comptia
Now that you know where you'd like to take the exam, simply set up a Pearson VUE testing account and schedule an exam on their site.
On the day of the test, take two forms of identification, and make sure to show up with plenty of time before the exam starts. Remember that you will not be able to take your notes, electronic devices (including smartphones and watches), or other materials in with you.
At-Home Exams
CompTIA also offers an at-home testing option that uses the Pearson VUE remote proctoring service. Candidates using this approach will take the exam at their home or office and be proctored over a webcam by a remote proctor.
You can learn more about the at-home testing experience by visiting this site:
After the Cybersecurity Analyst+ Exam
Once you have taken the exam, you will be notified of your score immediately, so you'll know if you passed the test right away. You should keep track of your score report with your exam registration records and the email address you used to register for the exam.
Maintaining Your Certification
CompTIA certifications must be renewed on a periodic basis. To renew your certification, you can either pass the most current version of the exam, earn a qualifying higher-level CompTIA or industry certification, or complete sufficient continuing education activities to earn enough continuing education units (CEUs) to renew it.
CompTIA provides information on renewals via its website at www.comptia.org/continuing-education.
When you sign up to renew your certification, you will be asked to agree to the CE program's Code of Ethics, pay a renewal fee, and submit the materials required for your chosen renewal method.
A full list of the industry certifications you can use to acquire CEUs toward renewing the CySA+ can be found at www.comptia.org/continuing-education/choose/renew-with-a-single-activity/earn-a-higher-level-comptia-certification.
Like all exams, the Exam CS0-003: CompTIA® CySA+ is updated periodically and may eventually be retired or replaced. At some point after CompTIA is no longer offering this exam, the old editions of our books and online tools will be retired. If you have purchased this book after the exam was retired or are attempting to register in the Sybex online learning environment after the exam was retired, please know that we make no guarantees that this exam’s online Sybex tools will be available once the exam is no longer available.
Using This Book to Practice
This book consists of six chapters. Each of the first four chapters covers a domain, with a variety of questions that can help you test your knowledge of real-world, scenario, and best practices–based security knowledge. The final two chapters are complete practice exams that can serve as timed practice tests to help determine whether you're ready for the CySA+ exam.
We recommend taking the first practice exam to help identify where you may need to spend more study time and then using the domain-specific chapters to test your domain knowledge where it is weak. Once you're ready, take the second practice exam to make sure you've covered all the material and are ready to attempt the CySA+ exam.
As you work through questions in this book, you will encounter tools and technology that you may not be familiar with. If you find that you are facing a consistent gap or that a domain is particularly challenging, we recommend spending some time with books and materials that tackle that domain in depth. This can help you fill in gaps and help you be more prepared for the exam.
Interactive Online Learning Environment and Test Bank
The interactive online learning environment that accompanies CompTIA CySA+ Practice Tests: Exam CS0-003 provides a test bank and study tools to help you prepare for the exam. By using these tools you can dramatically increase your chances of passing the exam on your first try.
The online test bank includes over 1000 practice questions. Use all these practice questions to test your knowledge of the exam objectives. The online test bank runs on multiple devices.
Objectives Map for CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) Exam CS0-003
The following objective map for the CompTIA CySA+ (Cybersecurity Analyst) certification exam will enable you to find where each objective is covered in the book.
Objectives Map
| Objective | Chapter(s) |
|---|---|
| 1.0 Security Operations | |
| 1.1 Explain the importance of system and network architecture concepts in security operations | Chapter 1 |
| 1.2 Given a scenario, analyze indicators of potentially malicious activity | Chapter 1 |
| 1.3 Given a scenario, use appropriate tools or techniques to determine malicious activity | Chapter 1 |
| 1.4 Compare and contrast threat intelligence and threat hunting concepts | Chapter 1 |
| 1.5 Explain the importance of efficiency and process improvement in security operations | Chapter 1 |
| 2.0 Vulnerability Management | |
| 2.1 Given a scenario, implement vulnerability scanning methods and concepts | Chapter 2 |
| 2.2 Given a scenario, analyze output from vulnerability assessment tools | Chapter 2 |
| 2.3 Given a scenario, analyze data to prioritize vulnerabilities | Chapter 2 |
| 2.4 Given a scenario, recommend controls to mitigate attacks and software vulnerabilities | Chapter 2 |
| 2.5 Explain concepts related to vulnerability response, handling, and management | Chapter 2 |
| 3.0 Incident Response and Management | |
| 3.1 Explain concepts related to attack methodology frameworks | Chapter 3 |
| 3.2 Given a scenario, perform incident response activities | Chapter 3 |
| 3.3 Explain the preparation and post-incident activity phases of the incident management life cycle | Chapter 3 |
| 4.0 Reporting and Communication | |
| 4.1 Explain the importance of vulnerability management reporting and communication | Chapter 4 |
| 4.2 Explain the importance of incident response reporting and communication | Chapter 4 |
How to Contact the Publisher
If you believe you’ve found a mistake in this book, please bring it to our attention. At John Wiley & Sons, we understand how important it is to provide our customers with accurate content, but even with our best efforts an error may occur.
To submit your possible errata, please email it to our Customer Service Team [email protected] with the subject line “Possible Book Errata Submission.”